The Iron Court
by little-miss-tiger
Summary: Takes place after the Iron Queen. A certain winter knight finds his way back to his lady's side again, and our favorite summer fae, Puck, finds his childhood love 3 R&R!
1. Chapter 1

The Iron Court

(WARNING: If you haven't read Julie Kagawa's the Iron Queen, then don't read)

Since Julie had to leave us with such a heartbreaking ending in the _Iron Queen_, I decided to write my own story about what happens later. It's from Meghan _and _Ash's POV. I'm not that good at writing, so sorry about that.

MEGHAN's POV

I watched the ice creep up the windows, engulfing the glass in a layer of blue and white.

_Ash._

I touched my finger to the ice encased window, as if that simple movement could undo what I had said, and bring him back. I sniffled slightly, feeling tears start to rise. A cold feeling spread through the room, and I bunched the quilts up around me. Beau nosed her way through the blankets and rested her head against my knee.

For a second, I was brought back our time in the midst of what was then the iron kingdom. That night when I had stayed curled up against Ash, neither up us aware of what would happen the next day. Neither of us aware of the tears, or the pain it would bring. The memory brought another round of fresh tears, and I pressed my face into Beau's warm fur. The cold feeling increased, and the ice on the window cracked.

The crack made my head snap up, and my eyes scan the room. Sighing disappointedly, I scolded myself for even thinking that Ash would return. I had undone his vows, and pushed him away. He should hate me now. And with all these girls walking around the mortal world and Fey, he probably already had another lover, just like I had told him to. I felt a stab of jealousy and pain for the girl I envisioned he was in love with. I already started to hate that imaginary girl.

Beau whimpered, and I buried my face back into her brown fur, letting it soak up my tears.

A tiny packrat scampered up to the bed and looked up at me with tiny little black eyes. Beau lifted her head, sniffed the air, and bounded out the room. I watched Beau leave, and then turned my attention back to the little rat. In its hands, was a broken teardrop charm. A bit of moss covered the cracks, and a small flower blossomed from the largest crack. The whole charm was incased in a thick layer of glassy blue ice.

My skipped a beat, and I looked wildly around for Ash. Or Puck. Anyone. But the only faery I saw was the gremlins and the little packrat. I forced a smile at the packrat, but the smile was ruined by the tears I couldn't control, sliding down my face and racking my body. The little packrat scaled one of the bed legs and scampered next to me, patting its little hand against my arm, chattering away in little squeaks and squeals.

I smiled through my tears, gathering a long, shaky breath. That was when a gremlin came through the door. Razor.

"Razor came to tell Master. Summer calls Master!" The little gremlin said, showing off a set of neon blue teeth. Meghan's mind spun. Summer? Oberon. She nodded and followed the Razor out of the room and through a thicket of thorns and rosebushes.

They came to a large room that glowed with a creamy white light. Fountains of water poured from the walls and snaked into small streams around the table in the middle, only accessible by the small, flat stepping stones. At one end of the table sat Oberon and Titania, and some other important members of the Seelie court. At the other end sat Mab, and the important members of the Unseelie court.

Forcing a smile, I took the empty seat between the two courts.

"Meghan Chase," Oberon said, nodding to me. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. He called me his daughter when I saved Nevernever. Now, sitting at the large table as the Iron Queen, he regarded me with harsh indifference, as if I was no more than one of the satyrs lying steaming bowlfuls of soup and food on the table in front of us.

As soon as the last of the satyrs left, Mab rose from the table. The meeting began.

ASH's POV

For the hundredth time, I marveled at Meghan's ability to put up with Goodfellow. For the hundredth time, I told myself that I was once great friends with Goodfellow. For the hundredth time I told myself that I could, once again try and rekindle that friendship. For the hundredth time, I knew I couldn't and went back to trying to remain cold and indifferent while Goodfellow rampaged like a wild man from beside me.

"What's wrong ice boy?" Goodfellow snickered. I said nothing; just followed Grimalkin's barely visible tail as he walked always a little out of sight. I sighed.

"Nothing," I murmured, my mind taking the unforgivable trail and thinking of Meghan. Goodfellow's green eyes narrowed, and he raised an eyebrow at me. Goodfellow was sharp. I can't deny him that.

"Meghan doesn't seem like nothing to you," Goodfellow remarked. I said nothing. Just looked at him with what I hoped was a cool, emotionless stare. But it wasn't nothing. I was her knight. I would forever be her knight. Goodfellow raised his second eyebrow at me.

"Dreaming of Meghan again are we, prince?" Goodfellow asked. His voice was teasing, but it cracked on the word _Meghan. _He snickered when I didn't say anything. Grimalkin turned around to tsk impatiently at us.

"I was under the impression you wanted to get to the Ice Castles _tonight,_" Grimalkin said, stopping in his tracks to lick a forepaw clean. I sighed again, and Goodfellow snorted.

"Who's the slow one now fur ball?" Goodfellow asked, tapping his foot impatiently on the dirt road, raising clods of dirt up in the air.

"Hold on…. The Ice Castle? _Mab's _Ice Castle?" Goodfellow demanded. I shook my head.

"The Ice Castles on the northern edge of Tir Na Nog," I said. Goodfellow studied my face.

"Why?" He asked after a brief pause. I looked down at Grimalkin to see that the cat was gone. Again. I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair, reminding me of Meghan's fingers doing the very thing only a few days ago. I shook my head again, and Goodfellow cleared his throat.

"Hello? Ice boy? Having trouble hearing me? Cause I can help you with that," his green eyes lit up and he pulled out a set of daggers. I rolled my eyes, thoughts still trailing after Meghan.

"My sister," I said. Goodfellow blinked, then paled.

"Another sister, right? Not…" Goodfellow looked at me and for the first time, I saw fear, misery, longing, and sadness in his eyes.

"I only have one sister," I said coolly. The wind blew sharp on our faces as we ascended the mountain, and ice crystals poured out of the bleak midwinter sky.

"But I can't go. I can't. Not after-" Goodfellow stopped in his tracks.

"It's your choice. Isilee might not want to see you after you little… incident," I said. But I continued walking, and Goodfellow continued following me. The Caith Sith had really disappeared.

My sister Isilee. She was sweet and shy, but very powerful. Beneath her beauty and grace was power. A building raw power of both winter and iron glamour. Like Meghan.

Meghan's POV

I sighed with relief as Oberon and Mab brought the meeting to a close, and tried to stand up. My feet were wobbly and sank under me, pulling me back down into the seat again. Just as Mab smiled one of her icy, terrifying smiles and said,

"It's a pity that Isilee couldn't come."

"Ah yes. Meghan should've met Isilee. They're more alike than we thought before," Oberon said. But Mab said nothing more, only gathered up her skirts in a pool of shadows around her and swept out the room. Titania looked at me expectantly, and I rose taking that as my cue to leave the room.

Ice formed little frozen puddles on the floor in Mab's wake, but was melting rapidly, and I could hear the pitter patter of a million tiny paws slapping the ground behind me. The gremlins and packrats.

"Master," Razor squealed.

"We have news for Master!" A dozen other gremlins squeaked. The packrats began to squeak and squeal, and I turned around to face the mass of little faery creatures blocking the hallway.

"Ice Prince spotted going to Ice Castle!" Another squeal added. I blinked.

"How do you know?" I asked, trying not to get my hopes up. The packrats squeaked at one another, and from the very back, they began passing forwards the chain that belonged to the charm they had given me earlier this morning. The charm that Ash and Puck had worn during our journey into the Iron realm. But now, instead of the teardrop charm, a small, carved bit of ice dangled from it.

The ice's surface was cut into a million tiny little faucets, shedding light in all directions, and carved into the shape of an icy heart, my name scratched, barely visible, on the back.

My heart skipped a beat, and my mind started down the forbidden road. So he did forgive me! As soon as the thought came, I shook it away. It could've been carved by anyone. Or it could've been for any Meghan. Even though, my heart still yearned for the winter prince that I feared might be a little too far out of my reach.

Ash's POV

I watched, amused, as Goodfellow's constant stream of annoying chatter and insults ceased as we approached the famed Ice Castles where Isilee lived. The structure was entirely carved out of ice and glittered pink in the setting sun. A small girl opened the door and let us in. She smiled and curtsied, leaving us alone in a nicely furnished room.

I walked around, admiring my sister's paintings and furniture, while Goodfellow morphed into a raven and hopped atop the elegant French grandfather's clock in the corner, trying in vain to blend in with the dark shadows.

I reached into my pocket for the icy heart I had carved for Meghan, but never gave her. It was gone. I searched all my pockets, heart racing, but couldn't find anything. Then, the door opened again.

She walked in with fluid grace, a breathtaking view. She had on an ice blue dress, simple, but complimented her figure and didn't take your eyes away from her face. A gauzy blue shawl was draped over her arms, a shade darker than her dress. Her hair hung in thick black waves to her waist, framing her pale face, and dark blue eyes that shone perfect like jewels, and small white jeweled studs were in her ears.

"Isilee," I said, a rare smile breaking over my face. Rare when Meghan or Isilee wasn't around.

"It's been a while," Isilee said, while I pulled her into a hug.

"Where's Meghan?" She asked, and then stopped as she saw my face. Did I really look that sad? I tried setting my face back into that emotionless mask that I always set it in back in the Winter Court, but somehow, being with Meghan had thawed my stiff, emotionless mask, and made it near impossible.

"Oh," She said softly. Then she turned to the shadows that Goodfellow was trying – in vain – to conceal himself in.

"You know I can see you," She said coolly. In a whir of feathers, Goodfellow stood before us. He didn't look half as bad now that his hair wasn't so disheveled, and he stood sheepishly in front of Isilee.

"Hey," He said, smiling. _That_ was more like Goodfellow. But Isilee merely sniffed and turned away. As she did, I thought I could catch a glimpse of an icy tear frozen on her cheek, but I wasn't so sure.

Anyways, as soon as she turned around, it was gone, and so was the sad look in her eyes.

"Sit," She gestured. A young satyr boy galloped into the room arms laden with drinks and cakes.

"You too, Goodfellow," Isilee said, her voice drained of emotion. Then the smile returned to Isilee's face and she took a cup from the tray, holding it with both hands.

"What brings you here, brother?" Isilee asked. I thought. Why did I want to come here? Mostly for the sanctuary that Isilee's castle always offered, and the easy, carefree spirit of my sister. But then why did I bring Goodfellow? I had an answer to that, too. Because I wanted to smooth things over with him and my sister. Have them be the way they were before Meghan came. My mind was a torrent of emotions and questions. Answers and countering thoughts. Isilee must've sensed this, because she dropped the question and made small talk with me. Relief flooded through me, and for a while, as we talked, I forgot all about Mab, Oberon, and Meghan.

Meghan's POV

That night, I lay in bed wide awake with the shard of ice pressed against my cheek. Would he really come back? I didn't have an answer. The pack rats and gremlins chattered and squeaked all around me. None of them had wanted to leave, and Glitch and the other high ranking Iron Fey were asleep in the guest room across the hall from us. The summer palace seemed so safe and welcoming, yet I found myself dreaming of the icy winter court and its bloodthirsty rulers.

I drifted off to sleep somewhere in the night. I dreamt, and in my dreams, I was with Ash again, lying in that tent like we were a mere few days ago. Then Ash turned into Puck. Then Machina. Then Ferrum. I woke up screaming and drenched in sweat. The packrats and gremlins had gone to who knows where, but Razor remained curled up in a little ball by my pack of things – the forever loyal gremlin. I smiled and forced myself back into a deep slumber with the icy charm still clenched tightly in my fist.

In my dream, Ash's name kept whispering to me from somewhere out the window, and the charm lay throbbing in my palm. He was out there somewhere. In my dream, I threw off the blankets and gathered my bag of belongings, with Razor still snoozing inside. In my dream, I walked through the trod I saw Mab and her court walk to. In my dream, I appeared somewhere in the northern mountains, cold, and all alone.

The wind lashed at me in long, icy puffs and the snow attacked me in a torrent of icy crystals and powder. It wasn't a dream. I was really somewhere in the northern Tir Na Nog. And I was alone.

Ash's POV

I followed Isilee through the halls of the castle, Goodfellow in tow.

He and Isilee had been the subject of court gossip years ago for he had been Isilee's knight, like I had been Meghan's. But what came in the way was Oberon, sending Goodfellow to guard Meghan. That wasn't the real problem. The real problem was that Goodfellow had _fallen in love_ with the Summer princess, and Isilee had released him from his vows, and fled to her icy castle in a flurry of tears and ice.

I bet Goodfellow regretted it, but who could argue with love? If I was able to pick whoever I loved, I might've picked one of the pretty winter fey that Mab always tried to make me marry. But I couldn't. And I loved Meghan. And I didn't regret it. Not one bit.

"Your highness," The girl servant from earlier said, running up to Isilee.

"A girl was spotted. Not far from here. She's nearly frozen, and looks as if she's from the Seelie Courts. Shall we take her in?" The girl asked. Isilee's eyes met mine.

"Tell me. What did the girl look like?" Isilee asked. My heart pounded loudly in my ears, and I found Goodfellow muttering under his breath in inaudible words.

"Blond hair, and pale eyes. Um… by the way she dresses, Oberon's daughter?" The girl said, unsure. Isilee nodded and looked at me. I nodded.

"Bring her in," I heard myself say to the girl. The girl scurried away, and was back a few seconds later with a shivering girl. My heart caught in my throat as her eyes met mine. Meghan. Scarcely believing it, I could only utter a hoarse, "Meghan?"

Meghan's POV

We stood there for a minute, looking at each other with awestruck expressions then I hurtled myself into his arms. I half expected him to step aside and leave me on the floor, but sighed as his arms pulled me in closer, holding me tight.

Razor peeped out from my bag, but ducked back inside again uttering the words, "Master's gone lovey dovey." My cheeks flared red, and I was grateful that Ash couldn't hear the words Razor said.

When we broke apart, we were ushered into a room and seated around a large table. A dazzling girl led the way and when we were all seated, the same girl that had brought me here put a steaming bowl of soup in front of us.

I felt a pang of jealousy. Who was this girl?

"Meghan. This is my sister, Isilee," Ash said, as if reading my mind. Isilee smiled at me, and Puck sucked in a breath. I wondered if Puck had feelings for Isilee.

"Puck was once Isilee's knight. Before you came and…" Ash murmured into my ear, as if reading my thoughts again.

I looked down feeling bad. Well, it wasn't really my fault was it? But it kind of was. I had returned Puck's affections... for a while.

"So you actually forgive me?" Ash and I asked at the same time. From across the table, Isilee smiled.

"I… take back what I said. Please, can you. I mean… you know… if you want to… be… my… knight?" I stammered. Ash smiled a smile that reached his mercury eyes and he nodded, reciting the word he recited before, but quiet enough for only me to hear.

Heart bursting with happiness, I looked across the table. Isilee and Puck were gone.

"Well, Isilee was never one to hold a grudge. And you could see from the way Goodfellow looked at her that he felt remorse," Ash said. His voice held a slight tone of amusement.

Epilogue (kind of) more of WHAT HAPPENED WITH ISILEE AND PUCK

When Meghan had asked Ash to be her knight once again, Isilee had left the room, hoping to let Meghan and Ash have some time of their own. Her brother was truly happy with this summer and iron girl, and she wasn't about to interfere like her mother had.

She ducked into the room across the hallway. The floor was blanketed with moss and grass, and trees and flowers grew across the room, like a garden. Isilee sat against the tree, absorbed in her own thoughts. She was jerked back to reality at the sound of a familiar, much missed voice.

"Princess?" Puck asked. Isilee didn't move or turned around. Did she dare hope…?

Puck walked up to Isilee and put an arm around her. When she didn't move, he sat beside her, pulling her towards him.

"I know this can't make up for anything, but I'm sorry," Puck whispered, his breath caressing Isilee's cheek.

And with only a couple words, Isilee's heart hammered against her chest. He still loved her!

She turned and buried her face in his chest, sobbing uncontrollably like a child. Puck held her tighter, then lifted her tearstained face to his. Gently, he pressed his lips onto hers.

"Forgive me?" Puck asked, his lips still slightly touching hers.

Isilee's heart flew. He was back. He still loved her. And maybe, at least for now, he was here to stay.


	2. Chapter 2

**If you liked this fanfic, please READ, REVIEW, and FAVORITE this fanfic:**

.net/s/6803989/1/Iron_Love

**It starts out the same as this fanfic, and it then gets BETTER (I hope). It centers on Isilee, and Puck. Please read that fanfic (called Iron Love). Thanks!**


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